FEUDAL JAPAN

Emperor Shogun  Chief military and governmental officer in feudal Japan Daimyo  Powerful local lords in Japan Samurai  Japanese warriors hired for protection by wealthy landlords in feudal Japan  Loyal to lord and clan  Power in his skill with the sword  Bushido Code (discussed later)  Seppuku  Ceremonial suicide  A way to avoid dishonor in defeat Peasants JAPANESE SOCIAL STRUCTURE

JAPAN – FOREIGN CONTACT 1000s – Japanese soldiers and sailors traveled overseas to China and Korea 1500s – Trade with the Portuguese  Brought muskets & Christianity  Samurai did not approve the musket  Jesuits focused on converting daimyo 1600s – Closed the country to Christianity  Force that weakens authority  Only Dutch traders allowed  Isolation

ISOLATION The end of Japan’s isolation  Westerners angered  No shelter to ships during storms  Westerners wanted commercial trade (similar to China)  Commodore Matthew Perry (1853) – sent to negotiate a treaty to open ports to the US  The emperor negotiated in 1854 – Treaty of Kanagawa  Opened two ports to US  Within two years ports opened to Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Russia

BUSHIDO The Samurai Bushido Code (Japanese “way of the warrior,” or bushido) was the warrior code of the samurai. Samurai Warrior Code was a strict code that demanded: Loyalty Devotion Obedience Duty Filial piety (faith to your family) Respect Self-sacrifice Honor to the death Under this code, if a samurai warrior failed to uphold his honor he could regain it by performing seppuku (ritual suicide)

BUSHIDO There are seven virtues associated with the samurai code of bushido: Gi – Rectitude(right moral behavior) Yu – Courage Jin – Benevolence (kindness) Rei – Respect Makoto – Honesty Meiyo – Honor Chugi - Loyalty